Coming soon: Broken Beat/Nu Jazz/Nu Soul

Review: Four years ago, Timmy Regisford and Joaquin 'Joe' Clausell delivered a hush-hush 12" single featuring their versions of Nina Simone classic 'Blackbird'. It has become something of a sought-after single, hence this limited-edition reissue. Regisford kicks things off with a fine rework that places Simone's iconic vocals atop a bouncy Afro-house beat and warming deep house instrumentation, before Claussell lays down two 'Edits and Overdubs' versions: a jacking but musically expansive main mix - all drum machine fills, organ solos and sonic spirituality - and a 'Bonus Beats Organ Dub' that sees him lace killer keys atop an infectious house groove. 'Rebel Nina', a spoken word spirit lifted from a vintage Simone interview, completes an essential EP.

Review: Saxophonist Joe Armon-Jones teams up with vocalist Hak Baker and saxophonist Nubya Garcia for a fresh EP paying homage to the dub music tradition in the UK. 'Wrong Side Of Town' homes in on this titanic genre, riffing off the trademark 'horns cut' that would appear on the B-sides of roots reggae EPs in the 70s and 80s. With Hak's vocals effortlessly evincing a South London drawl, it's clear from the outset that usual, prejudiced ideas of what the wrong side of town would normally be is flipped on its head; truly, it's the area outside Bank station and the Royal Exchange that's the real no-go. Note: B-sider 'Nubya's Side Of Town' was also played by legendary UK sound system founder Jah Shaka in one of his last sessions before his sad passing in April 2023.